Global warming creates ‘new normal’ in Arctic

Global warming has brought a “new normal” to the Arctic, with warmer air and ocean temperatures, thinner and less expansive summer sea ice, and greener vegetation in coastal regions abutting the open water.

In addition, longer periods of open water during the annual sea-ice melt season is allowing the ocean to take up more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, leading to seasonal bouts of ocean acidification in some areas.

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Even on a continental level, changes in atmospheric circulation patterns at the top of the world can affect the intensity of winter weather well into the lower latitudes.

Wind patterns that repeated during the past two winters — itself unusual, according to the report — brought relatively warm temperatures to regions of the Arctic, including Greenland, while subjecting the eastern U.S. with cold temperatures and heavy snowfall.

Yes this is true. I was in The Bahamas all of last winter ans it was FREEZING all thru January and February. On the mainland in South Florida it went down to 32f/0c and was extremely cold during January/February with tempuratures far ( wildly ) below seasonal norms for an extended period of time.